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CHAPTER I.
He paused on the platform and
glanced at his watch. The train on
which he had just arrived was late.
It hurried away from the station, and
was swallowed up in the blackness of
the tunnel, as if it knew its own short
comings and wished to make up for
them.
It was five minutes of six, and as
the young man looked back at the
long flight of steps that led to the
bridge across the tracks, a delicate
penciling of electric Hght flashed into
outline against the city’s deepening
dusk, emphasizing the lateness of the
hour. He had a dinner engagement at
Beven, and it was yet some distance
to his home, where a rapid toilet must
be made if he were to arrive on time.
The stairway was long, and there
were many people thronging it. A
Shorter cut led down along the tracks
under the bridge, and up the grassy
embankment.
Under the center of the bridge a
blight noise behind him, as of soft, I
hurrying footsteps, caught his atten
tion, and a woman’s voice broke upon
his startled senses.
‘‘Please don’t stop, nor look around,”
It said, and the owner caught up with
him now in the shadow. • “But will
you kindly let me walk beside you for
a moment, till you can show me how
to get out of this dreadful place? I
am very much frightened, and I’m
afraid I shall be followed. Will you
tell me where I can go to hide?”
After an instant's astonished pause,
he obeyed her and kept on, making
room for her to walk beside him, while
he took the place next to the tracks.
He was aware, too, of the low rumble
of a train, coming from the mouth of
the tunnel.
His companion had gasped for
breath, but began again in a tone of
apology:
“I saw you were a gentleman, and
| didn’t know what to do. I thought
you would help me to get somewhere
Quickly.”
Just then the fiery eye of the oncom
ing train burst from the tunnel ahead.
Instinctively, the young man caught
his companion’s arm and drew her
forward to the embankment beyond
the bridge, holding her, startled and
trembling, as the screaming train tore
past them.
The man's first thought was to get
out of the cut before another train
should come. He grasped his compan
ion’s arm and started up the steep
embankment, realizing as he did so
that the wrist he held was slender,
and that the sleeve which covered it
was of the finest cloth.
As they emerged from the dark, the
man saw that his companion was a
young and beautiful woman, and that
she wore a light cloth gown with
neither hat nor gloves.
At the top of the embankment they
paused, and the girl, with her hand at
her throat, looked backward with a
shudder. She seemed like a young
bird that could scarcely tell which
way to fly.
Without an instant’s hesitation, the
young man raised his hand and hailed
a four-wheeler across the street.
“Come this way, quick!” he urged,
helping her in. He gave the driver
his home address and stepped in after
her. Then, turning, he faced his com
panion, and was suddenly keenly
aware of the strange situation in
which he had placed himself.
“Can you tell mo what is the mat
ter,” he asked, “and where you would
like to go?”
The girl had scarcely recovered
breath from the~!ong climb and the
fright, and sho answered him in
broken phrases.
“No, I cannot tell you what is the
matter”—she paused and looked at
him, with a sudden comprehension of
what ho might be thinking about her
—“but—there is nothing—that is—1
have done nothing wrong.—” She
paused again and looked up with eyes
whose clear depths, he felt, could hide
no guile.
“Of course,” ho murmured with de
cision, and then wondered why he felt
eo sure about it.
“Thank you,” she said. Then, with
frightened perplexity: “I don’t know
where to go. I never was In this city
before. If you will kindly tell me how
to get somewhere—I suppose to a rail
road station—and yet—no, I have no
money—and”—then with a sudden lit
tle movement of dismay—‘and I have
no hat! Oh!”
The young man felt a strong desire
to shield this girl so unexpectedly
thrown on his mercy. Yet vague fears
hovered about the margin of his judg
ment. Perhaps she wae a thief or
an adventuress. S
The girl was speaking again: “But 1
must not trouble you any more. You
have been,, very kind to get me out
of that dreadful place. If you will
just stop the carriage and let me out,
I am sure I can take care of myself."
could not think of letting you
get out here alone. If you are In dan
ger, I will help you.” The warmth of
his own words startled him. He Knew
he ought to be more cautious with a
stranger, but impetuously he threw
caution to the winds. “If you would
just tell me a little bit about It so
that I should know what I ought to do
for you—”
‘‘Oh, I must not tell you! I couldn’t!”
•aid the girl, her hand fluttering up
to .her heart as if to hold its wild
beating from stifling her. “I am sorry
to have involved you for a moment in
this. Please let me out here. I am
not frightened, now that I got away
from that terrible tunnel. I was afraid
I might have to go In there alone, for
I didn’t see any way to get up the
back, and I couldn’t go back.”
“I am glad I happened to be there,”
the rannur manfarventb*. "l*
would have been dangerous for you to
eDter that tunnel. It runs an entire
block. You would probably have been
killed.”
The girl shut her eyes and pressed
her fingers to them. In the light of
the street lamps, he saw that she was
very white, and also that there were
jewels flashing from the rings on her
fingers. It was apparent that she
was a lady of wealth and refinement.
What could have brought her to this
pass ?
The carriage came to a sudden stop,
and, looking out, he saw they had
reached his home. A new alarm
seized him as the girl moved as if
to get out. His dignified mother and
hie fastidious sister were probably not
in, but if by any chance they should
not have left the house, what would
they think if they saw a strange, hat
less young woman descend from the
carriage with him? Moreover, what
would the butler think?
“Excuse me,” he said, “but really,
there are reasons why I shouldn’t like
you to get out of the carriage just
here. Suppose you sit still until I
come out. I have a dinner engage
ment and must make a few changes
in my dress, but it will take me only
a few minutes. You are in no danger,
and I will take you to some place of
safety. I will try to think what to do
while I am gone. On no account get
out of the carriage. It would make
the driver suspicions, you know. If
you are really followed, he will let no
one disturb you in the carriage, of
course. Don’t distress yourself. I’ll
hurry. Can you give me the address
of any friend to whom I might ’phone
or telegraph?”
She shook her head and there was a
glitter of tears in her eyes as she
replied:
“No, I know of no one in the city
■who could help me.”
“I will help you, then,” he said with
sudden resolve, and in a tone that
would be a comfort to any woman in
distress.
As the young man let himself into
his home with his latch-key, he heard
the butler’s well trained voice answer
ing the telephone.
“Yes, ma'am; this is Mrs. Dunham’s
residence. . . No, ma’am, she is not
at home. . . . No, ma’am. Miss Dun
ham is out also. . . . Mr. Dunham?
Just wait a moment, please. I think
Mr. Dunham has just come in. Who
shall I say wishes to speak to him?
... Mrs. Parker Bowman? . . .
Yes, ma’am; just wait a minute, please
I’ll call Mr. Dunham.”
The young man frowned. Another
interruption! And Miss Bowman! It
I
Looked Backward With a Shudder.
was at her house that he was to dine.
He took the receiver, resolved to
get out of going to the dinner if it
were possible.
"Good evening, Mrs. Bowman.”
“Oh, is that you. Mr. Dunham?
How relieved lam! I am in a bit of
difficulty about my dinner, and called
up to see if your sister couldn’t help
out. Miss Mayo has failed me. Her
sister has had an accident, and she
cannot leave her. She has just
’phoned me. and I don’t know what to
do. Isn’t Cornelia at home? Couldn’t
you persuade her to come and help
out?”
“Well, now, that’s too bad, Mrs. Bow
man,” began the young man, thinking
he saw a way out of both their diffi
culties. “I’m sorry Cornelia isn’t
here. I’m sure she would do anything
in her power to help you. But she
and mother were to dine in Chestnut
Hill tonight, and they must have left
the house half an hour ago. I’m afraid
she's out of the question. Suppose
you leave me out? You won’t have
any trouble then except to take two
plates off the table”—he laughed
pleasantly “and you would have even
eouples. You see,” he hastened to add.
as he heard Mrs. Parker Bowman’s
preliminary dissent—“you see, Mrs,
Bowman. I’m in somewhat of a predic
ament myself. My train was late, and
as I left the station I happened to
meet a young woman—a—a friend.”
(He reflected rapidly on the old pro
verb, “A friend in need is a friend
indeed.” In that sense she was a
friend.) “She is temporarily separated
from her friends, and is a stranger In
the city. In fact, I'm thev only ac
quaintance or friend she has, and I
feel rather under obligation to see
her to her hotel and look up trains
for her. She leaves the city tonight.”
“Nov/, look here, Tryon Dunham,
you’re not going to leave me in the
lurch for any young woman. I don’t
care how old an acquaintance she is!
You simply bring her along. She’ll
make up my number and relieve me
wonderfully. _No, _don’t_ jrou *
Woru. "Just tell Tier Giat~s"6e needn’t
stand on ceremony. Your mother and
I are too old friends for that. Any
friend of yours is a friend of mine,
and my house is open to her. She
won’t mind. These girls who have
traveled a great deal learn to step
over the little formalities of calls and
introductions. Tell her I’ll call on her
afterwards. If she’ll only remain in
town long enough, or I’ll come and
take dinner with her when I happen
to be in her city. I suppose she’s
just returned from abroad—they all
have—or else she’s just going—and II
she hasn’t learned to accept things as
she finds them, she probably will soon.
Tell her what a plight I’m in, and
that it will be a real blessing to me
if she’ll come. Besides—I didn’t mean
to tell you—I meant it for a surprise
but I may as well tell you now—
Judge Blackwell is to be here, with hie
wife, and I especially want you to
meet him. I’ve been trying to get
you two together for a long time.”
“Ah!” breathed the young man, with
interest. “Judge Blackwell! I have
wanted to meet him.”
“Well, he has heard about you, too,
and I think he wants to meet you. Did
you know he was thinking of taking s
partner into his office? He has al
ways refused—but that’s another story
and I haven’t time to talk. You ought
to be on your way here now. Tell
vour friend 1 will bless her forevei
for helping me out, and I won’t take
no for an answer. You said she’d just
returned from abroad, didn’t you? Ol
course she’s musical. You muet make
her give us some music. She will,
won’t she? I was depending on Mist
Mayo for that this evening.”
“Well, you might be able to per
suaue her,” murmured the distracted
young man at the ’phone, as he strug
gled with one hand to untie his neck
tie and unfasten his coliar, and men
tally calculated how long it would take
him to get into his dress suit.
“Yes, of course. You’d better no*
speak of it—it might make her de
cline. And don’t let her stop to mak<
any changes in hkr dress. Everybodj
will undei^tand when I tell them she’s
just arrived—didn’t you say?—fron
the other side, and we caught her ot
the wing. There’s some one comini
now. Do, for pity’s sake, hurry, Tryon,
for my cook is terribly cross when 1
hold up a dinner too long. Goodby
Oh, by the way, what did you say was
her name?”
“Oh—ah!” He almost succeeded ii
releasing his collar, and was about tc
hang up the receiver, when this nev
difficulty confronted him.
“Oh, yes, of course; her name—1
had almost forgotten,” he' went or
wildly, to make time, and searched
about in his mind for a name—anj
name—that might help him. The tele
phone hook lay open at the R’s. H«
pounced upon it and took the firs*
name his eye caught
“Yes—why—Remington, Miss Rem
ington.”
“Remington!” came in a delighted
scream over the phone. “Not Carolyt
Remington? That would be too good
luck.
"No," he murmured distractedly;
“no, not Carolyn. Why, I—ah—}
think—Mary—Mary Remington.”
“Oh, I'm afraid I haven't met her
but never mind. Do hurry up, Tryon
It is five minutes of seven. Where
did you say she lives?" but the re
ceiver was huag up with a click, and
the young man tore up the steps tc
his room three at a bound.
He*Was settling his coat into place
when a queer little bulge attracted
his attention to an inside pocket. Im
patiently he pulled out a pair of long
white gloves. They were his sister’s
and he now remembered she had giv
en them to him to carry the night
before, on the way home from a re
ception, she having removed them
because it was raining. He looked
at them with a sudden inspiration
Of course! Why had he not thought
of that? He hurried into his sister's
room to make a selection of a few
necessities for the emergency—only
to have his assurance desert him at
the very threshold. The room was
immaculate, with no feminine finery
lying about. Cornelia Dunham’s maid
was well trained. The only article
that seemed out of place was a band
box on a chair near the door. It bore
the name of a fashionable milliner,
and across the lid was penciled in
Cornelia’s large, angular hand, “To
be returned to Madame Dollard’s.’’
He caught up the box and strode
over to the closet. There was nc
time to lose, and this box doubtless
contained a hat of some kind. If it
was to be returned, Cornelia would
think it had been called for, and nr
further inquiry would be made about
tbe matter. He could 'all at Mad
ame'B and settle the bill without his
sister’s knowledge.
He poked back into the closet and
liscovered several wraps and evening
cloaks of more or less elaborate
style, but the thought came to him
that perhaps one of these would be
recognized as Cornelia’s. He closed
the door hurriedly and went down to
a large closet under the stairs, from
which he presently emerged with his
mother’s new black rain-coat. He
patted his coat-pocket to be sure he
had the gloves, seized his hat, and
hurried back to the carriage, the hat
box in one hand and his mother’s
rain-coat dragging behind him. His
only anxiety was to get out before
the butler saw him.
CHAPTER II.
“I am afraid I have been a long
time," he said apologetically, as he
closed the door of the carriage, after
giving Mrs. Parker BoWman’s ad
dress to the driver. In the uncertain
light of the distant arc-lamp, the girl
looked small and appealing. He felt
a strong desire to lift her burdens
and carry them on his own broad
shoulders.
“I’ve brought some things that I
thought might help,” he said. “Would
you like to put on this coat? It may
not be just what you would have se
lected, hut it was the best I could
find that would liot be recognized.
The air is growing chilly.”
He shook out the coat and threw it
around her.
“Oh, thank you,” she murmured
gratefully, slipping her arms Into the
sleeves.
“And this box has soihe kind of a
hat,,I hope,” lm, went or. “J nnrM
t® have Tooked, but there really
wasn’t time.” He unknotted the
strings and produced a large picture
hat with long black plumes. He was
relieved to find it black. While he
untied the strings, there had been a
growing uneasiness lest the hat be
one of those wild, queer combinatione
of color that Cornelia frequently pur
chased and called “artistic.”
The girl received the hat with a
grateful relief that was entirely sat
isfactory to the young man.
“And now,” said he, as he .pulled
out the gloves and laid them gravely
in her lap, “we’re invited out to din
ner.”
“Invited out to dinner!” gasped the
girl.
“Yes. It’s rather a providential
thing to have happened, I think. The
telephone was ringing as I opened the
door, and Mrs. Parker Bowman, tc
whose house 1 was invited, was ask
ing for my sister to fill the place ol
an absent guest. My sister is away,
and I tried to beg off. I told her 1
had accidentally met—I hope you will
pardon me—I called you a friend.”
“Oh!” she said. “That was kind
of you.”
“I paid you were a stranger in
town, and an I was your only ac
quaintance, I felt that I should show
you the courtesy of taking you to a
hotel, and assisting to get you off on
the night train; and I asked her tc
excuse ms, as that would give her an
even number. But it seems she had
invited some one especially to meet
me, and was greatly distressed not
to have her full quota of guests, so
she sent you a most cordial invitation
to come to her at once, promising to
take dinner with you some time il
you would help her out now. Some
how, she gathered from my talk that
you were traveling, had just returned
from abroad, and were temporarily
separated from your friends. She is
also sure that yon are musical, and
means to ask you to help her out in
that way this evening. 1 told her I
was not sure whether you could be
Looked at Them With Sudden Inspira
tion.
persuaded or not, and she mercifully
refrained from asking whether you
sang or played. I tell you all this sc
that you will be prepared for any
thing. Of course I didn't tell her all
these things. I merely kept stil)
when she inferred them. Your name
by the way, is Miss Remington—Mary
Remington. She was greatly elated
for a moment when she thought you
might be Carolyn Remington—who
ever she may to/ I suppose she will
speak of it. The name was tfic first
one that my eye lit upon in the tele
phone-book. If you object to bearing
it for the evening, it is easy to set
how a name could be misunderstood
over the ’phone. But perhaps you
would better give me a fey/ pointers
for I’ve never tried acting a part, and
can’t be sure how well I shall do it.’
The girl had been silent from as
tonishmeut while the man talked.
“B it I cannot possibly go there d
iinner," she gasped, her hand going
to her throat again, S3 if to pluck
iway the delicate lace about it and
give more room for breathing. “1
must get away somewhere at once.
I cannot trouble you in this way. I
bave already imposed upon your kind
ness. With this hat and coat and
gloves, I shall be able to manage
juite well, and I thank you eo much!
I will return them to you as soon as
possible.”
The cab began to go slowly, and
Try-on Dunham noticed that another
carriage, just ahead of theirs, was
stopping before Mrs. Bowman's house.
There wa,s no time for halting deci
sion.
“My friend.” he said earnestly, “I
cannot leave you alone, and I do
not see a better way than for you to
go in here with me for a little while,
till I am free to go with you. No one
can follow you here, or suspect that
you had gone out to dinner at a
stranger’s house. Believe me, it is
the very safest thing you could do.
This is the house. Will you go in
with me? If not, I must tell the
driver to take us somewhere else.”
“But what will she think of me,”
she said in trepidation, “and how can
I do such a thing a3 to steal into a
woman's JtQuse to a dinner in this
way! Besides, I am not dressed for
a formal occasion.”
The carriage stopped before the
door now, and the driver was getting
down from his seat.
' “Indeed, she will think nothing
about it,” Dunham assured her, '“ex
cept to be glad that she has the right
number of guests. Her dinners are
delightful affairs usually, and you
have nothing to do but talk about im
personal matters for a little while
an? be entertaining! She was inbet
Insistent that you take no thought
about the matter of dress. She said
it would be perfectly understood that
you were traveling, and that the invi
tation was unexpected. Tou caksay
that your trunk has not come, or nas
gone ahead. Will you come?”
Then the driver opened the car
riage door.
In an Instant the girl assumed the
self-contained manner she bad worn
when she had first spoken to him.
She stepped quietly from the car
riage, and only answered in a low
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Dunham paused fcr moment to
give the driver a direct . • ibout car
rying the great -.astelx ur 3 box tc
his club. This idea had come as a
sudden inspiration. He had not
thought of the neossity of jotting rid
of that box before.
“If it becomes necessary, where shall
I say you are going thfe evening?"
he asked in a low tone, as they turned
to go up the steps, sho summoned
a faint, flickering smile.
“When people have been traveling
abroad and are stopping over in the
city, they often go to Washington, do
they not?” sho asked, half shyly.
The door swung open before they
could cay another word, and the
young man rerjen be red that he
must introduce his new friend. As
there was no further opportunity to
ask her about her ns me, he must
trust to luck.
The girl obeyed the'motion of the
servant and slipped up to the dress
ing-room as if she were a frequent
guest in the house, but it was in some
trepidation that T jron Dunham re
moved his overcoat, ant arranged his
necktie. He had caught a passing
glimpse of the :«seirbled company,
and knew that Mr. Bowman was
growing impatient .or hie dinner. His
heart almost fai’ed him aow that the
girl was out of sight. What if she
should not prove to be uccuetomed to
society, after all. end should show it?
Hew embarrassing fnaf. would be!
H4 had seen her only in a half-light
as yet. How had ho dared?
But it was too late now, for he whs
coming from the dfessing-rocan, and
Mrs. Bowman was approaching them
with outstretched bands, and a wel
come in her face.
“My dear Miss Remington, it is so
good of you to help me out3 I can
see by the first glance that it is going
to be a privilege tc know you. I can’t
thank you enough .'or waiving formal
ities.”
“It was very lovely of you to ask
me,” said the girl, with perfect com
posure, “a stranger—”
“Don’t speak of it, dear. Mr. Dun
ham’s friends are not strangers. I as
sure you. Tryon. didn’t you tedl her
how long v.e have known each other?
I shall feci quite hurt if you huve
never mentioned me to her. Nk«w,
come, for my cook is in the hist
stages of despair over the dinner.
Miss RemiDgton, how do you native
to look so fresh and .ovely after a
long sea voyage? You must tell me
your secret.”
The young man look sd dowai at the
girl and saw that her dress was in
perfect taste for the occasaon, a, id
also that she was v jry young and
beautiful. He was watching her
with a kind of prcrrletary pride as
she moved forward to be introduced
to the other guests when he eav her
sweep one quick glance around the
room, and for jus) an instant hesibite
and draw back. Fier face grew white;
then, with a supreme effort, she con
trolled her feelings, and went through
her part with perfect ease.
When Judge BiackweR was intro
duced to the girl, he loefced at her
with what seemed to Dunham to be
more than a passing ir teres*; but the
keen eyes were almost immediately
transferred to his owo face, and the
young man had no further time to
watch his protegee, as- dinner was
immediately announced.
Miss Remington was- seated next
to Dunham at the table, with the
Judge on her other side. The young
man was pleased with the arrange
ment, and sat furtively studying the
Then, without any waning and ut
terly against his will, this- young man
of much experience and self-control
blushed furiously, and-was glad enough
when the door closed hdhind Mrs.
Bowman.
Miss Remington veaDced, into the
drawing room with a steady step, but
with a rapidly beating heart. Her real
ordeal had now come. She cent about
In her mind for subj-rcts of conversa
tion which should forestall unsafe
tonics, and Intuitively sough*:1 the pro
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